Behind The Surface, Under Her Skin
by gustin puckerman
Summary: Things get complicated as time wears on. Ryder decides to visit and Kitty tries to learn. Set after Ryder finding out who Katie really is.
1. Prologue

Author's Note: I just wanted to try this couple out. I believe their story can run deeper - their opportunity can stretch further. I am here to open these possibilities up, stitch it down and unravel the character, the plot and the scene. Most importantly, the depth. I believe there are something deeper. I believe in _them_ / Enjoy reading, review if you please. I own nothing but the ideas. I'm beggining the story with some background, a base, and we'll slowly walk ourselves from there.

**Behind The Surface, Under Her Skin**

**Things get complicated as time wears on. Ryder decides to visit and Kitty tries to learn. Set after Ryder finding out who Katie really is.**

**Prologue**

"Everybody's trippin' for her," she mumbles, under her breath. Kitty doesn't think of her tone when she says that, because if she does, she'll know that in that little sentence, she just breaks her very tough exterior - let a genuine emotion slip. Insecurity. Kitty hisses horribly in her head. _Fuck insecurities_.

Ryder's standing next to her - don't ask her how they got themselves in this situation, but he _is_ a football player and she _is_ a cheerleader and their paths _do_ cross whether they like it or not and they _are_ on the field, and so Kitty let that matter slide - and he looks at her, squinting his eyes, breathing very heavily and sweating like mad. Kitty tries not to vomit on his feet for everyone's sake. "What do you mean?"

Kitty snaps at him. _As if he doesn't know!_

Stupid jock. "Don't talk to me," she bites back - because she thinks, she can't help but to see him as one of the thousand goofs that has been falling every time Rose exhales, catching her breath like it's a prize of a lifetime. Stupid Rose. He scoffs, mutters something like 'bitch' and gulps down his water.

"I don't understand why you hate her so much."

"I don't hate her," Gosh, this conversation's going to stir up to the most boring conversation ever existed in the history of ever. _And I'm having it with a dork who can't even spell more than three syllable correctly to save his life_, she bitterly judges. She sees him from the corner of her eyes, watches one brow rise and curiosity initiating inside of his being.

He snorts. "Could've fooled me." _Asshole_.

Just shut up, she wants to say. Instead, Kitty says something like, "I don't hate her because she isn't worth any of my hatred alright? I have enough of that reserved for something way more repulsive than her. I just simply couldn't quite tolerate her existence and every time she speaks, I feel like eating my own goddamn shoe. She's also the type of a character that everyone pities and hushes over even though she might be the one who did all the faults and it's sickening and it's boring and it's plain, dumb, _stupid_. And even despite all of that, I couldn't give an ounce of my being to hate her. So, watch your fucking mouth, Lynn."

The dork just blinks back at her - once, then twice. Suddenly, he turns it into a glare. "She's nothing like that."

She laughs this time, throws her head back and snorts. "Could've fooled _me_."

She walks away then. Little does she know; that's the first, but not the last one.


	2. Chapter 1

Author's Note: I've re-wrote this chapter so many times because I can't find the perfect way, or the perfect scenes to line up so it can be a tolerable-like story. My goal is to achieve a story with a smooth-paced plot, but I'm afraid I'm experiencing various cases of a writer's block and the end product might not be like how I imagined it to be. Therefore, in advance, I apologize. I'm also noting that I've messed up the timeline here: the first meant to be in the present, and the second and third one meant to be in the past. I prefer to write them in present tense - so be careful there.

**Behind The Surface, Under Her Skin**

**Things get complicated as time wears on. Ryder decides to visit and Kitty tries to learn. Set after Ryder finding out who Katie really is.**

**Chapter One**

When Unique or Wade or whatever her/his name (or gender for that matter) is, finally grows a pair (there's a dull joke, right there) and admits that she/he's the one who has been cat-fishing Lynn, Kitty doesn't know why she doesn't immediately jumps to her feet and yells out, "I _knew_ it!"

She's a little annoyed by then, she guesses. Mandy - that's her boneheaded step-mother - can't pick her up from school today because she has some more important event like "book club" because it's all proper and English and Mandy would like that now wouldn't she? Anyway, Mandy decided that Dad's picking Kitty up today and the last thing Kitty wants is for Dad to wait on her. Of course, out of all possible days of the week, Whatever-Gender and Rose decides to have a 'Immediate, 9-1-1 Glee Meeting' which was dumb and whole lots of wasted time.

Dad must be grim, she thinks. He hates it when he has to get out of his lab when it's not time to.

Stupid Mandy.

And stupid Unique and Rose!

And now it's even more dumb and whole lots of wasted time because Rose is now standing next to Unique and is defending her with "not her fault, couldn't blame, apologize" and other blahs Kitty doesn't keep track of. She's silently thinking of sewing both of their mouth (and eyes) shut without anybody's suspecting it would be her before the discussion just turns from useless to completely, hundred-percent ... _blagh_.

Kitty knows 'blagh' is not a word, but she can't help herself.

She wants to roll her eyes at the both of them and exclaims_ how obvious that fact is because She-Man has been practically sweating her/his confession out for the past few days like she/he's in Sahara of Hell_ - but she clams her mouth shut and stands up instead. When she slings her backpack over her shoulder, tosses her bouncy blond ponytail behind, someone squawks. "Where do you think you're going, Kitty?"

"I'm digging my great Uncle Jefferson out of his grave," she snaps, now more annoyed than ever. "Where do you think I'm going!? _Home_."

She wants to call them 'morons' but she thinks better and doesn't waste her breath. Mr Schue looks slightly taken aback, crosses his arms over his vest, frowning a little bit, "I think we should discuss this matter out, Kitty."

"Discuss? What - we already knew the culprit behind Ryder's worthless madness, and if you're worried Six Pack, No Brain won't be coming back before Regionals; _don't_. He's too much of an All-American Boy to walk out on us," Kitty points out, like it's more than obvious. Gosh, she hates them _so_ much right now. Like, she could be doing better things like annoyed Dad to buy her junk food or something, but instead she's here and with _them_.

When she storms out of the choir room, nobody chases her, which is always good. Dad's already waiting in his car, not looking "all that happy", and Kitty sorta feels guilty - emphasizing on the _sorta_ - and jumps to the passenger's seat. "Sorry I'm late. The club just decided to pull off a moronic meeting."

Dad hums, then purses his lips. He starts the engine. "You weren't satisfied with the result?"

"Well, first of all, the meeting is not _productive_ and doesn't serve any good, and the people in it, I tell you!" Kitty talks like an old man sometimes, she thinks - she blames it on Dad - but she's just mad and very annoyed and she stains her new sneakers this morning and people should really know better than pissing her off. "Speaking of _idiots_. Ugh!"

Dad doesn't say anything for a while; Dad's pretty quiet, and he always feels out of place when Kitty's in rage, because Dad's principle is easy; if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. Kitty has _no_ idea how he ends up with her mother (Kitty kinda has the picture how it ends though) because Dad's too mushy, too good, too awkward. "Would you like to eat anywhere?"

"Can I?" Kitty's more demanding than asking. "Mandy might lose her head off if she knows I already ate. Outside food, no less." Then, she kind of pause before adding, "Maybe that's not much of a bad idea."

Dad hums once more, "I think she's preparing something Italian for dinner."

"Good for her," Kitty murmurs, now looking out the window. "Are we picking Dom and Kathy as well?" That's her monster-breed half-twin siblings, one girl and one boy. Kitty honestly doesn't know what's more annoying than that. She looks at Dad, expecting an answer.

He waits a second to pass, turns on one lane, "Yes."

Kitty groans.

* * *

_But close my eyes for a while  
__And force from the world a patient smile  
__And how can you say that your truth is better than ours?  
__If only I had an enemy bigger than my apathy I could have won  
__But I gave you all_

_- Mumford and Sons, "I Gave You All"_

It's the end towards fifth grade that Dad announces he's promoted to Washington where he gets to have his own laboratory and gets to continue on his research. Dad's pretty ecstatic about it. Kitty figures Mandy's not so much because she keeps groaning and suppressing her eye-roll, but she doesn't object. Mandy argues that it's hard that they have to move now, because "dear Katerina" is adjusting really well now in her school.

Kitty could care less - and has she mentions, like a _thousand_ times, that she does not like to be called that. _Katerina_.

Vomit.

Anyway, Dad's old facility is a little run-down and totally can sunken anyone's mood if they ever see that place - Kitty would know, she's been there before. So, Kitty would get the idea if Dad's really happy now that he has his own lab. He used to have just _an office_ - see the big deal here? For Dad, anyway.

They're packing and all and Mandy looks a little bit suffering because Dom and Kathy could not stop bugging her while they were all packing away for the big move - and seeing her like that has always been the better of times - when Dad opens up a 3D puzzle, jigsaw stuff where they can build a model up. Dad likes to take a few hours a day and do some kind of activity with her during the weekends; he says it's something like a daughter-and-father kind of bonding and bunch. Kitty could care less.

But she does participate - because _anything_ to get out from doing chores under Mandy's orders.

So they were building up a model of the Eiffel Tower, which looks kinda impressive after an hour of building only its base, when Dad says, almost sheepishly, "I'm sorry we have to uproot you again, Kitty."

Kitty shrugs her shoulders - she's just glad Dad takes the first hint and calls her with _that_ name when he first taken custody of her, if anything - and just waves her hand while she's working on her side of the model, "S'okay. I'll handle it. I'm sure it's going to suck the same there, like how much it sucks here."

Dad now looks depressed, "You don't like it here?"

Kitty pauses, tries to form her words again. Dad looks super sad now, and she doesn't like being the reason behind it - especially if he was so excited not less than a minute ago. "Yeah, I mean, it's not your fault though, dude - so chill. It's just, schools are the same, no matter where we go. I'm sure I'll adapt."

Dad looks a little less depressed, more focus on finding a piece. Kitty's got to admit: the model's shaping up real good. "Don't worry, Mandy and I have scoured and selected the best school for you. The classes are very cheerful and the discipline presented in the students are highly tolerable. I'm sure you'll fit in very well."

"Do you go through the thing I asked you to?" Kitty's now referring to the acrobatic classes she had requested Dad to look at when he first announced where they're moving to.

"I've been meaning to discuss with you on that," Dad sits straighter now. "We don't find any of the classes you want - but the school offers it. They've seen your accomplishments and they're quiet impressed. They told me you could try-out for it once you settled in."

Kitty's listening in now, "So, no outside classes?" _That's a bummer_.

"Um no, unfortunately. One that exist is too far from our neighborhood" Dad says, and Kitty frowns. Well, that certainly sours the mood. Not that Kitty doesn't like just working in school, but she'd prefer it if she has outside training. Plus, she doesn't know how she could survive facing Mandy's face all day after school ends! Ugh! "_But_, we've found some good ballet classes. Only if you're interested."

"Ballet classes, huh?" Kitty raises her brows.

"That's good too isn't it?" Dad raises his brows back at her.

Kitty shrugs, puts a piece of the model together. "Yeah, I'll consider it."

Dad grins. From the inside, Mandy screeches - must be the twins. Kitty feels kinda good too.

* * *

School starts and like Kitty expects, everyone's eyeing the new girl on the block.

She cuts her hair before school starts - it's pixie haircut now - and decides on wearing a new shirt (Dad bought it at some place that's expensive and Dad ignores Mandy when she says it's too much), so she feels kinda good. It's just a misfortune event that everyone just can't stop staring at her and makes her start doubting herself. It's kinda annoying at some point - speaking of paranoid. But Kitty always (_always_!) does a good job of ignoring most of the human population anyway, so it doesn't bother her so much.

She just continues on walking with her chin held high: she wants to give the impression that she's confident, cool and just doesn't give a damn.

With everyone's whispering around, she kinda feels like that. Kitty smirks.

English class, and Kitty peers over this girl that's sitting next to her who's fidgeting and keeps on staring at her bag. Kitty takes in her whole image of this girl: brown shoulder-length hair, sorta chubby face and very small nose. She looks like she's in a dilemma. Kitty rummages through her bag and finally finds the thing she needs. "Psst!" She calls.

The girl turns to her - her eyes are bright brown and somewhat close to crying. Kitty doesn't comment, "You need this?" Kitty shows her a pencil. It's a good thing she brought an extra. Well, a _lot_ of extras.

The girl meekly nods, takes the pencil. "Thanks," she murmurs nearly helplessly.

"It's nothing," Kitty shrugs and goes back to open a new book Dad also bought while they went shopping for schools at the end of Summer. Sometimes Kitty can't wipe the thought of how much she appreciates Dad. Mandy thinks Dad's 'pampering' Kitty too much, but Kitty thinks Mandy's just a jealous witch.

English ends soon and Kitty looks back at her note before she closes it and shoves it into her bag. She doesn't expect the girl to stand by her desk, though. The girl's nervous, running her fingers in circles at the surface of the wooden table. She smiles gingerly, "You're Katerina right?"

Kitty doesn't barf at that. She stands up, shakes her head. "Kitty. Call me Kitty."

"Oh, _okay_." The girl's smiles suddenly turns larger, "I'm Julie. Julie McAbee. You're new in school?"

"Yeah. My dad got promoted here. It's nice to meet you, Julie."

Julie just smiles even more brightly and gushes out, "It's nice meeting you too! So, do you have ... anywhere to sit during lunch?"

Kitty slings her bag over her shoulders, shrugging, "I don't know. I was just thinking of going to the library."

Julie doesn't miss a beat, "Oh! Really? You don't have to! You can always sit with us." She's practically jumping on the balls of her feet - Kitty tries not to roll her eyes at the enthusiasm as much. Girl looks like she has too many sugar. "By us, I mean - my friends and I. I'm sure they'll be okay if you'd come along. It'll be fun."

Kitty brushes a strand of blond hair away from her face, "Um, okay. Yeah. It'll be cool. Only if it's okay though."

Julie just waves her hand away, makes a 'pfft' sound. "Of course it's okay. C'mon, I can even introduce you to them now. Usually we hang around my locker between classes."

"Uh, okay. Sure."

Julie smiles some more. Something twinkles in her eyes.

Kitty smiles back and follows Julie out of English.

* * *

Julie turns out to be a pretty popular chick. She's very sociable - a lot of people knows her.

It doesn't take long, but Kitty ends up being just as popular. Julie says something like how, "blonde, smart and beautiful - I'm surprised if you're not on the A-list" and the whole gang agrees. The only shred of difference between Julie and her friends with Kitty though is that Julie and the group are all athletes. Basketball players to be exact. They try to usher Kitty to join in as well, until they learn that Kitty is the school's gymnast.

They're even impressed when they decide to come and watch one day. Piper, she's a red-head with glasses, claps her hand when Kitty comes closer, breathing heavily from training. The coach allows her to rest for five minutes. Piper grins, "You were amazing! We never see someone as awesome as that!"

Brianna, she's half-Indian with dark skin and mesmerizing dark eyes, nudges Kitty. "I never thought you had it in you, girl!"

Kitty just grins some more. Gosh, she feels like a dork. She turns to the far corner where she sees Julie argues with someone older; well, he _looks_ older. He's not too far from their age, Kitty estimates; charming face, intensifying eyes, brown messy hair. "Who's with Julie? Her boyfriend? I thought she liked Tristan."

Piper makes a face, "Ew, gross. That's her brother, you icky person. Of course she likes Tristan."

Brianna chuckles, "Julian's the name. He's kinda hot, I know."

"I didn't say anything," Kitty responds, snorting.

Brianna rolls her eyes, "You don't have to." Piper shares the same glance.

"Whatever," Kitty tells them. "I need to get back to the mat. You guys can go back home if you want to."

"Nah. I think we'll stay. Nothing to do at home anyway," Piper brushes Kitty's idea off and sits back on the bleachers. Brianna joins her.

As Kitty jogs back to where Coach is, she can't help glancing Julie's way, accidentally catching Julian's eyes. Kitty doesn't know what strikes her, but she turns her head away and jogs faster. She can hear Brianna and Piper snickers behind. _Bitches_.

Evening falls and Kitty finishes up with her routine. She picks herself up, thanks the coach and walks over to the bleachers. Julie welcomes her, "Oh my gosh Kitty! That was some wicked stunt you pulled off today! I'm more than impressed."

Kitty can't quite hide her proud grin. "Thanks."

Julie ushers her some more about how fantastic she is, and how sure she is about Kitty beating other people from other districts and honestly, Julie could go on and on until she finally stops and asks, "so, is anybody picking you up?"

"Yeah, I think my dad is."

"Ugh, tell him that it's okay. My mom's driving us all to grab some pizza. I mean, who could resist that?" Julie makes that thing where she jumps on the balls of her feet, Piper's gesturing her to say yes.

Kitty adjusts the straps on her bag, "I guess I could give him a call."

Brianna cheers, "Yay!" before Julie interrupts, "I must apologize first though - my brother's coming along. He's being a major brat today and I'm so close to beating him into a bloody pulp."

"Charming," Piper mutters dryly.

Suddenly, something beeps from Julie's phone. She takes it out and reads it, "My mom's outside. C'mon guys. I'm _starving_."

Brianna snickers, poking Julie's completely flat stomach. "You always are. I'm surprised you could maintain this body size."

Julie slaps Brianna's hand playfully, "Woah, woah there. Go gentle on the sensitive area."

Kitty just giggles at their whole interaction and Julie grins, tilts her head to one side before grabbing her hand and lead them all outside. Julie's Mom has his window roll down and she's obviously waiting on them. Julie's Mom, who insists on being called _Nancy_, has a very nice smile and brownish hair. Kitty decides she really likes Nancy, "So this is the famous Kitty Wilde. I've heard so much about you, Kitty."

"I hope they aren't bad things," Kitty could only respond.

"Don't worry. Everything's about you is as good as a slice of pizza. Delightful and tasty." Kitty can't help but to laugh. Nancy just grins wider. "Oh, and this is my lazy son, Julian Benedict."

"_Mom_! You don't just go around telling everyone my middle name!" Julian cries out from the passenger's seat.

Julie scoffs, "Serves you right from being an idiot."

Nancy's tone changes, "Don't cross that line, Julie Alexandra."

"_Mom_!"

Piper, Brianna and Kitty share a good laugh. Nancy's very entertaining and she even takes the tendency to call Dad to prove to him (and Mandy) that Kitty's in safe hands, and Kitty doesn't know if her vision's getting worse but she thinks Julian's stealing glances at her. She tries not to think so much of it though.

The pizza place is not very far away and all of them arrive them in a jiffy. Once Nancy pulls them all over, Brianna, Piper and Julie practically runs straight through the entrance door. Nancy jumps from her vehicle, "Gonna get there before they cause me a million," which leaves Kitty to smile bigger and realize that she's left behind with only Julian once Nancy rushes inside.

"So..." Julian starts awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Do you like pizza?"

What kind of stupid question is that? Kitty snorts, "Does anybody _not_ like pizza?"

Julian smirks - and gosh, he really is sorta handsome, isn't he? Kitty denies her blush. "You got a point there." Julian glances around, brushing a strands of messy brown hair from his eyes, "If you don't mind me askin', your name isn't really Kitty is it? 'Cause that's a pretty bizarre name for a girl ... such, uh, that's pretty as you."

_What_. Kitty wants to laugh - he's too cute. "It's Katerina. But I was always called Kitty. It just feels... _weird_ when people call me something else."

"Well, either way, they're really beautiful names."

"Really?" Kitty now laughs directly, "Kitty is a beautiful name? It's usually a name you call on a cat."

"I am very much aware of that," Julian smirks wider.

Before Kitty can respond, Brianna shouts, "If you don't mind, please get your butts over here and tell us what do you want for your drink 'cause none of us are willing to wait any longer!"

They both kinda scrambles to their feet and ignores the glances they receive and Kitty doesn't know why she feels so ashamed. But she really does like Julian's smiles and what he says and whenever he looks at her with those eyes, Kitty can't push away all of the butterflies. Julie pretends like she's going to vomit but she only teases more and smirks and nudges a lot and it's all really fun. Julian doesn't seem to mind.

When Kitty returns home, Mandy doesn't get as mad as she usually is because "I'm glad you're making friends, Katerina," and Dad doesn't look too worried, which is always good.

Kathy jumps around Kitty a lot (the other twin is already snoring his head off) and can't stop talking and Kitty just nods her head but all she could think of is Julian and she bites her lips a lot, she realizes. Then, Kathy kinda stops and makes a face and says, "Why are you smiling so much, Kitty?"

Kitty turns to snarls at her because she doesn't want to give the false impression that she finally likes the kid or something. The same goes to the other twin!

"I'm going to bed," Kitty announces, stands up and kinda smiles when Kathy frowns.

It has been a good day.

**Author's Note: I decide to put a little of Kitty's past and the whole 'molested' episode of her life to give her character more depth. I think it's fairly important because I want this story to grow. So, bare with me. I can assure you Ryder/Kitty action will come. Thank you for reading**.


	3. Chapter 2

Author's Note: Thanks for those who are still staying around to check out how the fic turns out. I do appreciate it. It feels great to know someone still gives me a chance at writing this. In this chapter, we unravel Kitty's past thoroughly. And then, maybe we could skip back to the present and find ourselves right at Kitty/Ryder route I originally wanted them to.

**Behind The Surface, Under Her Skin**

**Things get complicated as time wears on. Ryder decides to visit and Kitty tries to learn. Set after Ryder finding out who Katie really is.**

**Chapter 2**

_I have these thoughts_  
_So often I ought to replace that slot_  
_With what I once bought _  
_'Cause somebody stole my car radio _  
_And now I just sit in silence_

- Twenty One Pilots, "Car Radio".

A few months passes and Kitty's got to admit that it doesn't exactly fly off in a waste. She registered herself in ballet classes and has been more than active in school - especially now since the school listed her name in the Regionals that's coming up. The Coach is constantly working her to the bones, mainly because the whole school is practically counting on her, and though it's tiring - Kitty doesn't complaint as much.

Mandy's sorta happy, Kitty guesses. Dad buys a house that has a kitchen the size of Texas and Kitty figures Mandy's using the most of it.

Dad looks glad. He's really happy about his new laboratory and he's keeping his health in check. Kitty makes sure of that.

Kathy and Dom continues to grow up - they're becoming one type of bacteria that refuses to leave her skin and Kitty's trying to learn to deal with it. Highlighting the word _trying_, please.

God help her.

Then, Regional comes rolling over and Kitty's practicing more than frequent. Mandy makes sure to "clear all of their social schedules" to watch her at Regionals, but Kitty wouldn't care either way. She's winning this thing whether they're there or they're not there - that's a definite _yes_. But anyway, because Mandy's super stupid, she and the horrid twins spend all day making posters with glitters and markers and Kitty doesn't know what's more pathetic - the fact the twins barely know how to spell their own name, let alone hers, or that the twins are practically swallowing the glitters instead.

Kitty decides she doesn't want to know.

Julie, Piper and Brianna are also supporting her. Oh, and did she mention she's been closer to Julian than she really wants to. She means, he's not wholly annoying as much, and he knows how to entertain her - and_ why not. _He's okay in every sense of being a normal human being. Kitty tolerates that. Almost.

Unfortunately though, because the competition is held on a school day - they can't come with. Dad, Mandy, Kathy, Dom and her drives to the tournament where Kitty meets up with coach. It's all normal procedure. Nothing Kitty doesn't know about. Dad's kinda beaming proudly at her, squeezes her shoulder, "Good luck, Kitty."

"Luck's for losers," Kitty dismisses him, rolls her eyes. Dad's kinda an idiot sometimes.

But Dad smiles some more. "You will do great, I know."

"I know too, Dad." She says, now looking up to Dad, actually smiling. The light shines reflects on Dad's almost bald head - which makes Dad looks sorta silly. Like a walking light-reflector. "Thanks."

The tournament's kinda sucks egg. Kitty doesn't like waiting so much. Dad once commented she has the patience of her mother - one of the rarest times Dad ever talked about Mom - one that resembled a thin line of a thread. Kitty didn't disagree then, she isn't disagreeing now. All of her so-called competitors are pretty much losers that don't know nothing 'bout what they're doing and it annoys the heck out of Kitty.

She could do so much better!

She's looking out at the crowd trying to locate Dad when this one girl comes out and Kitty's got to admit she's pretty good. Kelsey. _Kelsey Nelson_. Long brown locks and glinting eyes. Ugh. What a total faker. But pretty good in her steps, and knows what she's doing well. Kitty's watching out for her. It seems that Coach is too.

"She's your match, Kitty." Coach says, eyes forward and mouth's curling.

Kitty glares extra hard, grits her teeth with more force. It's two more girl before Kitty's out and the music begins. She smiles directly at the coach and she moves swiftly and follows the music and almost messes up on that one step but because she's Kitty, she doesn't and she ends her routine in a swift notion. The crowd applause.

She swears she hears Dom and Kathy's gurgling-like yelling. They sound like Vikings choking on a bone.

Hours pass quickly after that - Coach keeps telling she's done great, but something's gnawing her inside but Kitty denies it and focuses on something else. As evening falls, they gather the competitors on stage and they're announcing the winners and Kitty swears she sees flashes before her eyes when she's announced the second place and Nelson taking the first.

_Second. Place_.

Kitty Wilde gets second place.

Unheard of!

Kitty throws a rampage outside when they're at the parking lot that sets Kathy crying and Dom trembling and Mandy gets really mad and Dad frowns everywhere, but Kitty doesn't care - all that she knows is that she isn't supposed to get second place. She doesn't deserve second place! She doesn't deserve second place!

She doesn't miss a step at all.

She's flawless.

At home, she locks herself in her room and turns up the music way loud on purpose to piss off possibly everyone in the whole neighbourhood and she's writing angrily at an empty book - she's not much of a journal-girl but she lets herself wonder sometimes - and the pages are torn and her writings are bold and angry and the rage just bubbles up in her lungs and -

"Katerina if you would just - " Mandy's annoying voice sounds frustrated. Good. "Julie's here. Julie. Your friend. She's here to come and see you. You might want to open the door."

Kitty glares at something.

But she decides better, kicks off the book under her bed, straightens her hair, lowers the volume of the music and unlocks the door. Outside, Julie waits sorta embarrassingly awkward - but her face immediately lightens up when she sees Kitty. "Kitty!" she says, now stepping into her personal place and hugs Kitty. On normal occasion, Kitty might consider pushing her away. But because - apparently - she's a sore loser and a number-second, she lets someone hugs her mercilessly.

"I heard what happened. I'm sorry." Julie says sadly as she pulls away, and Kitty tries her best to avoid her stare. "The judges were out of their heads. Completely. They're insane."

"Yeah. Whatever. It sucks anyway."

Julie rubs the back of her neck. "So. Are you like, okay?"

" M'fine." Kitty lies. She doesn't need Julie to know how shitty Kitty truly feels. "What brings you here?"

"To check on you, of course. You're my friend," Julie tells, smiling gingerly, like the whole world should know that. Something that isn't anger rest neatly in between every emotion Kitty's experiencing. Huh. "And, uh, we're having some sleep-over at my house tonight. It's for you, actually. To celebrate. You definitely have to come."

Honestly, Kitty doesn't feel so good. It feels rather nice cocooning one self in one's room and turning the music so loud to block out any other noises - in fact, it feels better than to be stuck with a bunch of other people giggling and gossiping. Anyway, who would want to gossip with a loser? "I don't know."

"Come on!" Julie tries again, grabbing her hand. "Obviously you're sad now. But we can make it better! It'll be lots of fun! We'll have cookies and Mom even lets us watch horror movie tonight. It'll be _suuuupper_ awesome!"

"I'm not sure..." Kitty answers nonchalantly, looking around as if trying to find a route of escape.

"Come onnnn" Julie drags on and on and like always, Kitty finds herself giving up. Kitty shouldn't be surprised to find Nancy already waiting at the kitchen, seeming to wrap-up a conversation with Dad and Mandy, the bear. "Hi sweetheart, how are you doing?" Kitty doesn't wince when Nancy calls her that - and sees Dad sighs in relief.

Mandy - because she's boring - straighten her skirt and clears her throat, "Katerina."

Kitty glares at her.

"We agree to let you go with your friends for tonight. Nancy already talked to us. I believe it's where you best calm yourself down at." She turns to Nancy then, smiling with her perfect teeth all lined up. "Anything at all, just call us up."

"Sure." Nancy smiles back, nodding.

Without much of anything, time works its magic. And as it wears on, Kitty starts to feel good again. She actually laughs and she's thinking normally (no more murders and blood and a whole bunch of bad words Dad would have frowned at) and they're having a pretty good time - Julie, Piper, Brianna and her.

The sleep-over is at the basement and Julie says it is practically sound-proof, so they can make all the noises they make and not wake anybody up.

Julian pops up here and there, but an hour before they officially go to bed, he excuses himself - says he's tired, winks at Kitty and runs upstairs. Piper pretends to vomit, Julie nudges her harsh on the arm, "It's kinda gross - but man, is he crushing hard on you!"

Kitty doesn't blush, she tells herself.

Then, there's midnight and everyone's getting drowsy and Brianna starts to mention weird stuff that makes all rest of them giggle and Nancy shuts off the light (they leave a lamp on, of course) and everyone's settling in, and Kitty feels good. She texts Dad to inform him she's okay, that she's fine now and she'll be okay, and Dad replies how glad he is - all professionally and awkwardly.

Huh. _Dad_.

Kitty sleeps then, humming first to herself. Julie kinda grins, "You sound good." She yawns. "Do you sing?"

Kitty adjusts herself with the pillows and stuff, "Kinda. Not really."

"You should." She yawns some more. "You sound good."

"Goodnight, Jules." Kitty says instead, smiling at her friend.

"Nighty-night, Kitty-Cat." Julie giggles and then, the world falls to its silence.

A few hours later (hours? really? Kitty isn't sure) she wakes up to the sound of someone's ruffling very, very close to her. She glances down with half-eyelids opening and sees flashes of brown. Messy brown hair. She smiles drowsily. "Hey."

The eyes look up. "Hey. Kitty." Julian says breathlessly, his cheeks unnaturally an odd red colour. "You're awake."

Kitty laughs quietly, "What are you doing?"

His face is inches away from hers now - he whispers, "You look so beautiful."

"Is this a prank? A joke? What are you _doing_, Julian?"

"Can I kiss you, Kitty?"

"What?"

Before she knows it, his lips are pressed against hers and it's rough and hard and different and weird and - "What - _Julian_!"

He's breathing harshly now, uncontrollably, "I want you, Kitty." He says, his hands sneaking up to touch her. "I want to touch you. _Feel you_."

"Julian," she tries smiling, pushing him away gently against his shoulders. "Stop. I don't like this. I don't like this joke. It's not funny."

His cold hand wraps around her thigh suddenly, grasping it. "It's not a joke, Kitty. I've wanted you - ever since I first saw you." His hands rubbing in an increasing pace, higher to her... her... Kitty couldn't _even think of it_. His breath hits her cheek, "Fuck. You're hot."

"Please stop." Kitty whimpers out, now shutting her eyes completely. "Stop, Julian."

"I like it when you say my name, Kitty." He kisses sloppily on her cheek. "Be mine."

His fingers trace her skin in a pattern that makes Kitty cringe and she's whimpering out so bad - and there are flashes and he moans and his face is so so red and why is it red? why is he smiling? And Julian keeps on whispering names and he keeps asking Kitty to be his. _To be his_.

"No Julian please," she whimpers out, fighting the tears that's threatening to fall.

Oh god. Pathetic! Pathetic! Pathetic!

And then his hand slides over her centre and Kitty opens her eyes immediately.

"NO!" Kitty finally finds the courage and ignores how her voice cracks. She pushes him away, shaking her legs to shake his hands off. "Go! Go! Before I scream! Before I wake your sister! P-piper and Bri-brianna up!" She doesn't like that she stutters. It's annoying when other people do it; it's even more annoying when she does it.

"Don't fight it, Kit - "

"Julian!" With his hands still close to her ... um- _thing_, Kitty brings her knee and hits his groin - watches as he holds his yells with his fist in between his teeth. His eyes clench tight. Kitty takes the chance to scrambles herself away from him, and watches for his next move.

"Fuck. Fuck." He says, bending over now as he sits, holding his balls. "Fuck you, Kitty."

Kitty just stares really hard at that one spot on the floor as she cowers herself against the wall, letting his leaving footsteps echo in her head like a dull music on repeat. She imagines Dad's frowning faces if he ever discovers this, Mandy's stupid disapproving looks, Mom's sad-but-angry-all-the-time eyes, Dom's smiling with drools and Kathy who won't shut up. And Julian. And his breaths and his hands and his words and - and -

Kitty bites her lips so hard that it draws blood when she cries.

She's so stupid.

_She's so stupid!_

At dawn, when she knows Dad would have woken up, she calls him and says it's emergency - please dad please just pick me up from this place please hurry please don't make me wait. And Dad comes, and she doesn't even say goodbye and she can't even imagine how to look into Julie's eyes without thinking of her brother's, or takes Nancy's smiles and mistaken it for Julian's.

And his hand and his breath and everything (_EVERYTHING_!)

Three weeks on and Mandy mentions how pale she looks. "Are you sick?"

On normal days, she would have said, "Of course I'm sick. I'm dealing with idiots." But on that day, she just blinks up at Mandy nearly helplessly and shakes her head slowly.

Dad frowns deepen. "Kitty. Your health is declining rather rapidly."

"Are you sure you're fine?" Mandy the Monster asks again, and Kitty tries not to roll her eyes at her.

Kitty stares into space, doesn't even bother that Dom's playing with her hands like it's one of his stupid toys. Dad looks extremely worried, "You've been this way since ... um, you had a sleep-over at - "

"Don't even say it!" Kitty snaps at him, the shadow of her former self roaring inside. She looks deadly at the both of them. Even Dom stops playing with her hand.

Mandy looks stern. "Did anything happened at - "

"NO!"

Mandy and Dad share a look and before Kitty knows it, she's at a psychiatrist's office - apparently, Mrs Valentine is Dad's colleague - and Kitty doesn't know what happened, but she's trembling and out-of-focus and she's telling Mrs Valentine how she's not really sleeping anymore and she can't see, can't think and oh god oh god his breath his hand its everywhere _it's everywhere!_

Mrs Valentine sits her down one day and Mandy and Dad across for them, and makes her say it - relive it - and watches her crumble and cry and being a pathetic little kid and Dad looks remorse and Mandy looks completely shocked and that's perhaps the only subject she allows herself to consider Mandy her 'mom' or her 'parent'.

Mandy calls Nancy and then Nancy's all "That can't be true, are you sure, I'm sorry, that doesn't sound like my son though, I'm so disappointed, I'll see what I can do, I'll make sure to have a talk, oh yes, I just can't believe - " while Dad handles more issue as Kitty lets herself play with Dom and Kathy.

Mandy lets her skip school for the next week and Mandy even takes a few days off too. Dad can't though, because he has a deadline and a meeting but he says his sorry and Kitty does understand. Mandy takes Dom and Kathy and her all over the place - and it feels good. The weather's nice and the view's amazing.

Kitty smiles when Dom cries just because a monkey was just staring at him while they're at the zoo.

As soon as she steps back to school, things worsens. Julie starts to use her reputation against Kitty and turns everyone into her enemies. "Bitch!" She snarls, "How dare you said that! _Julian never did anything_!"

Kitty doesn't scream back how she doesn't know - and that psychopath of a brother she has deserves to be locked up somewhere and Kitty believes that something inside of her is shattered, scratched raw, _damaged - _because of him, because of Julie (she really doesn't want to blame Julie, but she isn't making it any easier). And she'll cast her eyes towards Piper and Brianna and _anyone_ but no one will say anything.

No one will stand up.

So, really? What's the point if she stands up for herself? She'll lose this battle (and how can you even fight when you're already broken?), so she doesn't and shuts up.

The teachers just look on pitifully and she spends most lunch in the library with earbuds and music streaming into her ears - she doesn't like how stuffy and dusty the library is, but there are less kids there and that's good. Privacy's good.

She's getting worse in her grades and she tries really, really hard to pull it off for Dad but it doesn't work - not with Julie's eyes burning holes through her being every-damn-times, and she's going insane, she thinks. Insane!

"Kitty." Nancy calls her one day, when school ends and Mandy's running a little late. Kitty sees her silhouette from afar, but tells herself that maybe it's okay, that she'll toughen up but the truth hurts and she can't and oh god why are you coming nearer and stop please and don't follow me. Kitty's footsteps increases its paces - faster and faster.

Nancy doesn't stop too.

"Honey, Kitty - "

"I'm sorry," Kitty whimpers. "But I don't - and I - I honestly can't."

And the she sees Mandy's car waiting for her and then she runs and once inside, she's crying because she feels so bad and she lets Mandy consoles her and everything's bad, she tells Mandy. "I can't handle this," she sobs in between, looking pathetically up to Mandy. "I'm going to kill myself if this continues."

Mandy looks upset, but doesn't yell.

The next day, Dad and Mandy sits her down and announces that they're moving to Lima, Ohio. Dad still gets a new laboratory but it's small and the whole building is sorta old (not like this one) but Dad doesn't look too sad - he's even more sad when he looks at Kitty. Mandy looks satisfied, "I believe this will be for the best."

"Are you sure?" she sniffles, looking at Dad. "Dad? What about your lab - "

"It will be just that. A lab. I'll get a new one. I'll be fine." It's one of the only times in forever Dad doesn't stutter to look less confident. "What's important is getting you up and going again, Kitty. I - uh - we can't stand watching you like this."

"But you have to continue your sessions with a psychiatrist until its decided you don't need it anymore," Mandy warns.

"Don't worry, it will be someone I trust." Dad and his colleagues. Of course.

"Are you okay with this arrangement, Katerina?"

Kitty doesn't glare as hard when Mandy mentions that name. She considers. "Lima, Ohio you say?" She thinks, pursing her lips. "Yeah. Okay." She seems to be gathering breaths, "I'll do whatever."

_Just get me out of this godforsaken place_.

Mandy and Dad nods.


	4. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Following up to the first part in Chapter 1 (the present), so I hope there's no confusion.

**Behind The Surface, Under Her Skin**

**Things get complicated as time wears on. Ryder decides to visit and Kitty tries to learn. Set after Ryder finding out who Katie really is.**

**Chapter 3**

_How many special people change_  
_How many lives are living strange_  
_Where were you when we were getting high?_  
_Some day you will find me_  
_Caught beneath the landslide_  
_In a champagne supernova in the sky_

- Oasis, "Champagne Supernova"

There's a lot in between, but Kitty doesn't know why she's ought to spend the rest of the night thinking about these silly retarded memories of when she's just a dumb little kid, when she's practically standing with the rest of New Directions (remember them? Little Drama-All-The-Time club?) in the choir room - and not only did they just won the Regionals as champions, but they're also witnessing the surprise wedding of Mr Schue and Miss Pillsbury.

And what do you know - Miss Pillsbury isn't running away this time. Girl isn't even breaking a sweat. Thank God for her.

Kitty seriously doesn't want to be in that post-being-left-at-the-altar situation once again - ugh.

After the priest announces that they're man and wife, and they kiss, of which Kitty guesses should make it official that they're Mr and Mrs Schuester for real (_finally_!), the whole glee club just roars and cheers in joy and Kitty doesn't glower at the glow on Miss Pillsbury's (oops, it's Mrs Schuester now, Kitty guess) cheeks and the sparks of relief and joy in Mr Schue's eyes. They look good.

They look happy.

Kitty's just glad, and slumps on one of the plastic chairs in the choir room, a red solo cup in her hand. A champagne (that she took rather sneakily from Mr Schue's basket over the piano) fills the cup by a quarter. She would definitely get more if it would mean pissing Mandy off, but she doesn't want to upset Dad.

She chugs a sip.

Artie - one of the glee members that she could actually tolerate - rolls over, a tired but winning grin plasters over his face. "Hey Kitty," he says, once settling in next to her.

"Hey Artie," she decides to be a little nice tonight - a little too worn-out to put on her mean-bitch facade.

"You did great tonight," he looks almost bashful, like he can't believe it that it's Kitty he's talking to. The Kitty he couldn't quite figure out; good or bad? Rotten or spoiled? _Whatever_, Kitty thinks, chugs the champagne down again. Whatever.

"You did great tonight," Kitty lets his words bounce inside of her head a little annoyingly, and her jaw twitches just a little bit. She grace him with a smile of her own, no planned-seduction whatsoever, no false-impression or fake-shit she usually pulls off for the sake of whoever. "Thanks. You're not so bad yourself, Artie."

It feels strange, but she'll cope with it.

"Are you - " He stops then, rubs the back of his neck. "Is anyone picking you up?"

Kitty kinda can picture the plan that's building in his tiny head. She doesn't snap up at him. "My family's out there. I think they're waiting for me." She says, and doesn't ache as much when she sees Artie sighs out in disappointment. She pulls out her phone to text Dad again - _I'll be out in ten. Just wait up for me_.

She could see Mandy's agitated face as her phone alarm her that the message has been sent. Mandy doesn't like waiting so much. Hah.

"Do you like - uh," Artie hesitates again; stuttering a little. Kitty restrains herself from rolling her eyes so much - never like stuttering before, wouldn't be favouring it now. "So, do you - uh - "

Kitty chugs her whole drink down, cringe slightly as the taste sinks down. "I'm sorry, Artie - but I can't wait for too long. I'll see you at school on Monday, kay?"

He seems surprised, the gather himself when she stands up, slings her bag over her shoulder. "Uh, yeah. Okay. Cool. See ya'."

Kitty nods and hears as Tina screams, "Don't forget to hand the outfits back on Monday!" while she walks pass the door, at the same time, rummaging through her bag - grabbing a hold of her sweater. Kitty loves this sweater - it isn't amazing by any means, or following any trends. But it's one of the first things she bought with her own money after she saved from all the pocket money Dad and Mandy has been supplying for her.

She shrugs the sweater on and rubs her arm, walking herself to the place she instructs Dad to wait her at.

Pushing the school's entrance door, she's meet with Dom and Kathy's annoying over-enthusiastic expression. "Kitttyyy!" Dom exclaims, his slight chubby cheeks rose up with the cold weather. His hand slips to hold Kitty's left hand, while the right hand is being tugged by the other stupid twin.

"Calm down Children of Chucky," Kitty hisses, and watch as her expression has done nothing rather than make the twins more excited.

"You were _soooo_ _greeaatttt_!" Kathy pinches her hand, jumping around happily, her dark hair bouncing off wherever.

"You were _awesome_!" Dom chants, following his twin sister's step. "And you were swinging and dancing and - "

"How do you get your leg up so high! I'm sooo glad you won!" Kathy squeals and Kitty swears her eardrums are bleeding.

God. It's like, if dogs could talk.

Then, Mandy and Dad steps into view and Kitty can't help it, but she smiles bigger. Mandy takes Dom and Kathy and maybe because she's too boring and it's starting to effect anyone who touches her, Dom and Kathy finally sits still. But they're still beaming proudly at her. Mandy brushes a strands of her puke-brown hair over her shoulder, "You were exceptional, Katerina. Your Dad and I are very proud of you."

"Well, I would have been even more '_exceptional_' if the whole glee club isn't begging to bow down to Marley, the princess of everyone's gullible heart."

Dom and Kathy immediately reacts, "Eww, Marley..."

"Marley isn't as good as you, Kitty."

Kitty kinda smirks - she may or may not have been manipulating with the twins' mind to dislike Rose the same. The twins haven't even met the girl, and they're already cringing every time Kitty mentions Rose's name. She feels a sense of pride - but s'not like she's ever going to tell them that!

"Well, in any way, it was an absolutely wonderful performances. We all are glad that we came." Mandy, the big goon out of them all, now are stirring them to the car.

There's a glint in Dad's eyes, "Congratulations on your win, Kitty."

"I'm glad you came, Dad." Kitty says back sincerely and follows into the steps. And then before she knows it, Dom and Kathy are back to tugging her hands and they're seriously have been smoking something because they would not stop talking and Mandy isn't annoying as much and she even agree on letting they eat out and they go to a restaurant on the outskirts of Lima, where Dad knows the owner, and it's sorta kinda expensive-looking and the food isn't so bad and the sweater feels really good and she's actually laughing at one of Kathy's outrageous story.

The night turns out to be pretty cool.

* * *

It's Thursday and Kitty's wondering how she's gotten used to this ridiculous amount of madness.

Currently, Mandy's cooking away their dinner and she's got her stereo turns up to songs from before world war even begun, Kathy's shaking with excitement and pleading and begging Kitty to teach her a few of the ballet moves (she decides she wants to be just like "big sister Kitty" and dances and dances... until she breaks her leg or something)and Dom's watching the TV like a hawk and has the volume until one hundred maybe.

Dad's a genius because he has his own study a little far back and hidden from where the noisiness ensues and so he sits there and avoid all of these and leave it to Kitty.

God have mercy on her soul.

"Quiet it down, Dom!" she halts at the boy who's sitting a few feet away from her on the couch - and of course Kathy's now whimpering because "Kitty isn't paying attention!"

"I just - " Kitty grunts when Dom, the stupid does nothing. "Wait - can you not, before I shut it off and burn the TV down!"

Dom makes a whale type sound and takes the remote, slows down the volume. Kathy's now whimpering and makes an annoying face that states how close she is to crying. Spoiled brat! "Okay, okay. Do it over again. I'll watch this time."

"Promise?!" she asks, eyes furrowed, arms over chest.

Kitty rolls her eyes hard at Kathy's little shenanigans. She's only like, seven and she's already have too much of _Mandy_ in her. "Just do it already."

Kathy grins, jumps a little bit and plays the music. Kitty looks on monotonously as she twirls and kinda mess up a little - but only a little and she's seven and she'll learn and therefore, Kitty doesn't comment - and then Kathy stops on her own, thumps her feet dramatically to which Kitty rolls her eyes again, and whines, "I messed up!"

"No you didn't!" Kitty lies - anything to make the brat stop crying. "Just continue."

"I mess up real bad, haven't I Kitty?" She pouts some more.

Kitty wants to shoot herself. "Can you please - "

The door bell rings. Kitty jumps to her feet. "I'll get it!" Anything to get herself away from _this_ mess. Kitty looks at the girl-twin side-ways, watching her. Kathy looks disappointed, but doesn't get in her way. _Good_.

Kitty jumps to open the door - she has her hair in a regular ponytail like she usually has when at school, so it hits the base of her neck softly when it lands. Her hand twist the knob and swings the door open. And the person waiting by the other side looks shock, mouth open and eyes wide.

_Wait_.

"The hell - " Kitty gapes, furrowing her brows with extra force. "What are you doing here, Lynn? _Are you drunk_?"

Lynn still looks a little shaken-up, brushes his annoying, overrated Bieber-esque hair, kind of ruffling it away but it falls into his stupid face anyway, and lets out a shaky breath. "Okay," he's muttering to himself more than speaking to her, like an idiot. Kitty frowns deepens. He's not supposed to be here.

He hasn't shown up at Glee rehearsals like he said he would, right after the Regionals, which Kitty totally gets and isn't bothered as much (She-Man and Rose are still fidgeting and hoping he'd magically appear with apologies and shit, which is _blagh_) which also makes Kitty guess he's cutting up any thread that's leading him to Glee.

Fortunately, that should include her.

Kitty honestly couldn't get any happier.

But - _what_. Is he doing _here_.

"I was driving around and, uh," he ruffles his hair again, shrugging his red letterman jacket on his shoulders, looking flustered and nervous and annoying as hell. Kitty has to close her eyes with the pain of him. "I though - I thought - "

She holds her hand up because she _hates stuttering_. She also _hates the sight of Lynn_. "You thought wrong. You should go home."

"I was just thinking - " He looks disappointed, but not like bashful-Artie-disappointed. More like man-I-should-have-said-something-better-disappoint ed. And yeah, maybe he should. "That maybe - "

"Do you _not_ understand English?" she snaps menacingly.

"I just," he sighs then, the lines on his forehead suggesting how frustrated he is. Kitty kinda smirks. "I need to talk to you."

"You sound pathetic." She tells instead, not wavering as his form grows smaller. He's squatting now, like a duck.

"I know I am," he whispers - probably something he hadn't meant for her to hear. She waits for him. He glances back up, his eyes glassy and shining and familiar - like that moment when they went to Breadstix and he's actually normal and okay, and Kitty - you know, _actually likes him_. But now it's all coming back and Kitty pushes that thought away. He's saying something, " -sorry but I just need to talk."

She's leaning up against the doorframe and staring down at this Puppy-Boy and God she can't believe she's even letting him breathe around the perimeter of her house (HOUSE! Isn't this an invasion of privacy?!) and letting him see her without much of a make up. She's going to murder him, Kitty thinks darkly.

"Katerina!" Mandy shrieks annoyingly from the kitchen. "Who's there at the door!"

Kitty rolls her eyes because that's all she really does in this house anyway. "No one important!" she yells back, ignoring the way Lynn looks even more crestfallen.

Of course, twin-girl starts to bop her head from behind the door next to Kitty and gasps loudly, now taking in the whole image of Lynn in front of her. "It's a boy!" she says, like Lynn is another whole new species that they've only heard but yet to see.

She's living with monkeys.

And then, with a whiff of Mandy's perfume, the witch prances around behind, sounding shock as she says, "Oh my. Oh dear. Katerina didn't mention any friend coming by."

"He's not my friend," Kitty tells but as usual gotten brushed off when Mandy steps in between Kitty and twin-girl to get to Lynn, who's now standing and wiping his palms over his jeans.

Mandy smiles like a horse. "What's your name, young man?"

"I - uh -" Lynn blinks awkwardly, perhaps his dyslexic has caught up with his capability of understanding a question. Kitty muses herself with that idea. "My name's Ryder, ma'am."

_Ma'am_. Yuck!

"Courtesy. Such a foreign thing to be seen nowadays," Mandy, the horse, laughs and Ryder tries to chuckle along with weirdly. Kitty doesn't blame him. Mandy then turns to her, "Why isn't Katerina inviting you in?"

Lynn raises his brows - _Katerina?_ - but before he could say anything else, Kitty interjects. "Because he was just leaving."

She's eyeing Lynn to get along with her plan (LEAVE!), or else...

Mandy looks back at All-American Boy, "Is that true, now?"

"I was, uh, I - "

"Don't let Katerina frightens you. Come in. Dinner will be ready in a few short moments." Mandy takes Lynn's hand - and a part of Kitty's soul just die - but he still looks a little surprised. "You _are_ staying for dinner, I assume?"

If Kitty knows better, nobody (NOBODY!) has ever not fallen for this wretch woman's words before. Lynn's not any different than other man. As Kitty expects, he swallows and shrugs, "I- I guess."

"Delightful!" Mandy cheers like she's in some late-50s British's sitcom. "I'm sure Katerina can entertain you until dinner is fully served."

WHAT!

Mandy's now turning to her, "Katerina. I expect you to treat our guest warmly."

Kitty wants to snap Mandy's neck in two, but the devil's too fast and before Kitty knows it, she has flee to the kitchen and resume cooking. Kathy is still standing giddily by the door, looking at Lynn like he's some sort of walking candy that's been made specially for her. _Brat!_

Kitty mutters a string of curse for Mandy under her breath as she closes the door shut. "Satisfied?" she asks Lynn, glaring hard at him that she hopes will haunt him into a night filled with nightmares.

"Your mother is really - "

"She's not my mother." Kitty snaps, walks swiftly passes him and hears his footsteps follow. Kathy's now giggling and running to the couch - bouncing on it and leaning in to whisper to twin-boy, probably informing Dom about their "guest". Kitty's eye twitch. "That - the tweedlegirl - is Kathy."

"Katie?"

"Kathy!" Kitty snaps, whirls her body to face him. God, is she done hearing that name! "Not your stupid projection girlfriend in-disguise, Lynn. This one's Kathy. _Cat-Tee_. That's how you pronounced it. Not _Kay-Dee_. Don't ever get that mixed-up, or else I'll twist your ankle and make sure you're not playing out on the fields again, you understand me?"

Lynn looks perplexed. "I- uh - I'm sorry."

Kitty takes her time to cool off, just a little bit. She's not losing her anger for Rose's Personal Bieber. What a waste of time and space and breath. "It's short for Katherine. Her name. Just don't, get it mixed. I hate that name - Katie. I hate it."

"Okay." He glances down at his shoe, Kitty turns back and continues her steps. "The tweedleboy is Dom. Short for Dominic. They're twins."

She watches as he fidgets around to step into the living room. The twins are already oogling him from the couch. "Super Mega Small Dorks, say hi to Lynn. Ryder Lynn."

"Is he your boyfriend Kitty?" Dom yelps and Kathy bursts into a million of giggles.

Kitty swallows down her vomit. "No," she says darkly, glaring at the stupid twins. _Why does it have to be two_!

Lynn seems to find this amusing, as he's chuckling now - watching them. Kathy jumps from the couch right in front of him, looking like a midget if to compare with Lynn's height. "Hullo" she coos cutely - Kitty's left eye twitches some more. "You're handsome."

Sweet Mother of - Twin-Girl is developing a crush!

On Lynn!

Somebody strangle Kitty.

"Please stop," Kitty pleads, settling herself down on the couch. Dom now frowns at Lynn, "Is he going to stay here forever?"

"I hope not." Kitty tells him, meaning it.

"He looks funny."

"That's because he's in love with Rose."

"Marley! _Ew_!" Dom says, scrunching his nose in utter disgust. Kitty smirks. She has trained them well.

Kitty also hears Kathy gasps, "Ew! You're in love with Marley! That's gross!"

"Wh-what! I'm not in love with Marley!" Ryder gushes out like a stupid jock he is. He comes over, now standing by the couch as Kathy topples on top of Dom, leaving them tangled and more annoying. "Kitty!" Lynn says her name all panicky, "Why did you tell them about Marley."

He says it like Kitty just insults his mother. She waves him off. "Not anything too drastic. They're not mentally challenged, you know - they can conclude stuff on their own. I was just telling them how my days go. Don't worry, I didn't insult your damsel by any means."

Which is true, a little. Kitty never says anything bad about Rose - she just tells them how it's not fair that Rose gets everything and everyone's attention and the twins, well, they adore their sister and are always on her side (something that Kitty can count on _for now_).

Lynn turns into a shade of puce and starts huffing and puffing and looking more like a dork. "Marley is not a damsel."

"Could have fooled _me_," she choruses those familiar lines, daring him to say more.

"Why are you always against her?" He's alternating into the asshole Kitty knows him as. _Great_. Now she has to handle this.

"Because I am," she wants him to shut up, and now Kathy and Dom has untangle themselves together. Dom's messy head on her lap. Kathy's breathing and shaking excitedly next to her. "Can you stop?" Kitty tells them sternly.

"Marley has smelly feet!" Dom suddenly cries out, laughing. "You're in love with smelly feet girl!"

So here's the idea: Dom thinks every gross girl must be smelly, particularly in the armpits and feet. And because Kitty neither has those, she's not a gross girl. Dom's weird like that, but Kitty could live with his philosophy.

Lynn turns into an even more puce coloured being, "I am not! And- and - and Marley doesn't have smelly feet."

"Ew, how do you know?" Kitty's now looking at him. "Are you that obsessed with her that you even took the stalker-step to smell her feet?"

"I didn't - " Lynn looks like a walking mess. "I'm not - obsessed. And I don't stalk her!"

"So she _lets_ you smell her feet?"

"NO! I didn't smell anyone's feet!"

Kathy can't stop giggling up to him. "You're weird," she points out gingerly.

"And he can't even write a full sentence without a word not being wrong too." Kitty adds without any trace of mercy. "You can totally be friends with Dom."

"That's not funny, Kitty." Dom pouts, and from the corner of her eyes, Lynn is too - but even more so because Dom's still seven and that's okay if he can't write properly, but Lynn's sixteen and it's an embarrassment if he can't write a full sentence correct. Something ticks in Kitty's heart that horridly resembles guilt but it goes away when Dom immediately tugs on Lynn's hand. "Don't worry! We'll be good in writing and one day we'll show Kitty together!"

Kitty swears something twinkles in Lynn's eyes. The horror!

Dad suddenly walks in into the living room and his eyes nearly pops out of his bald head. "Oh. I can see we have a guest."

Kathy jumps on the couch, making Kitty grunts. "Dad! Dad! This is Ryder! He's Kitty's friend!"

"He's not my friend." Kitty snaps once again, reminding everyone.

Dom runs towards Dad, "He's not Kitty's boyfriend though because he likes Marley!"

"I don't - " American-Boy wants to argue, but bites his lips half-way. "I mean. I'm sorry sir, to have interrupted your evening. I was just, around and, uh,"

Kitty guesses Dad also doesn't like stuttering, so he blinks at Kitty instead. "Did Mandy invited him for dinner?"

"Unfortunately," she answers, not more happily than Dad.

Dad's shoulders drop. "Well then. What's your name again?"

"It's Ryder Lynn, sir."

Dad hums. "Dinner should be ready by now, Ryder. Let us all eat."

"You're allowing him to stay?" Kitty asks dramatically, standing up.

Dad shrugs and Kitty nearly wants to hit herself because of course he's not standing up against Mandy! Dad's basically Mandy's personal puppet, just like how Lynn is towards Rose. Speaking of _gross_.

Kitty stalks her way to the kitchen.


End file.
